How Jehovah's Witnesses helped kill Prop 8

[RamboLiberal]

Love these little history lessons.

In the 1940s, Jehovah's Witnesses weren't just unpopular and marginalized. They were seen as criminal and a threat to democracy. It was blasphemous enough that they preached there was no hell or trinity and went knocking on doors to say so. But they also refused to salute the flag or say the Pledge of Allegiance.

Lillian Gobitas was among thousands of Jehovah's Witness children expelled from public school for not saluting the flag. Her case (Minersville School District v. Gobitis) went to the Supreme Court and a fundamental question was asked: Should a free society force its citizens to engage in patriotic ritual? In 1940, the court said yes. National unity was at stake.

But Jehovah's Witnesses wouldn't comply, saying the flag salute is an idolatrous act of worship of a man-made symbol, which is forbidden by God. In response, mobs attacked Jehovah's Witnesses in 44 states, burned their houses of worship and beat them. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt spoke out against the violence. At the height of World War II, when the U.S. was fighting nationalism in Germany, where Jehovah's Witnesses were being sent to concentration camps for refusing to do the Nazi salute, the Supreme Court revisited the case (West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette). A stunning reversal was announced June 14, 1943 — Flag Day.

In 2010, the value Judge Walker saw in the Jehovah's Witness case was how Justice Robert Jackson in 1943 addressed the "tyranny of the majority," a problem that's been around since at least 1835 when Alexis de Tocqueville first wrote the phrase in his book, Democracy in America.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-08-06-engardio05_ST_N.htm

[david13]

1. Good one. I have never wanted to engage in the jingoistic ritual.

I don't see any significance or importance to it. Therefore, if I don't do it, so what.
I remember some of these cases and others from my childhood. Did we have to recite the pledge of allegiance. And Madalyn Murray.
dc

[hlthe2b]

2. Ahh, Eleanor Roosevelt--every time I think I've reached the pinnacle

of admiration for this brave lady--well before her time--yet another story emerges that adds yet more evidence of her integrity. Good story.

[Andy823]

3. Don't tell a Jehovah's Witness this

They are not very understanding about gays, or certain kinds of sex between a man and a woman! As for the JW's in Germany, well there was more to the story, they did get put in camps, and it's wrong to attack any religion and use violence against them, but all in all JW's are are not understanding nor are they supportive of anything that their own religious leaders do not approve of! The group is a very high control organization, and use their "control" to keep their members from leaving, and if the do leave they treated as if they are dead, shunned by family and friends who still are in the organization, and some members have resorted to suicide because of they no longer accept the control of the group, but their lives were devastated by the treatment they received because they left the group!

I see what the judge was getting at but don't thank the religion, thank their lawyers!

[orion007]

4. When my daughter was in HS there were a few kids of JW parents

who were shunned by their family and the church for rebelling.
Nothing over the top, just being normal teenagers.
Eventually they were all placed in foster care.
From what I knew at the time there was also physical abuse taking place,the school had become involved,they attended the local HS...
The church never reports any illegal activities done by its members towards children to any authorities, so many kids continue to be abused, and the so called "elders" oversee all problems.
Much like certain sects of the Morman religion..
I couldn't care less what the adults believe, but much more needs to be done to protect the children.
You also have the home schooling issue, which is popular among them now but leads to the children not having adults within their realm to go to for help.
Sick and evil in the name of God.